Spring bumper for mine cars



Mar. 27, 1923- 1,450,041 M. T. KITCHEN SPRING BUMPER FOR MINE CARS Filed Feb. s, 1921 2 shee'ts-sheet 2 -Ag-.im

Patented Mar. 27, i923'.

man

Fi C E i MARTIN T. KITCHEN, F LOGAN, WEST VIRGINIA.

sPnrNG BUMPER For. Minn cans.

i Application filed February 8,1921. Serial No. 443,376.

T0 LIZ whom t may concern .f

Be Iit known that I, MARTIN T. KITCHEN, a citizen of theUnited-States, residing at Logan, in the county of Logan and State of West Virginia,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Bumpers for Mine Cars; and I do hereby declare ,the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will en- 10 able others skilledV in the art to which it appertains to make;l and use the same. This invention lrelates to new' and useful improvements in bumpers for mine cars and has for its primary object the provision of l5 means for cushioning shocks and jars to the car caused 'by sudden starting and stoppingof the car when coupled in train formation to other cars or when coupled to a locomotive. A Another object of this invention is the provision'of a coupler forming apart ofthe j bumper and adapted to receive-the coupling` v link of the adjacent car, so as to secure the cars in train formation and .which may be v easily and quickly actuated to couple and uncouple the cars with the least liability ofl injury to the operator.

Anotherv object of this invention is the provision of a bumper for mine cars of the above stated character which will be simple` durable and e'icient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in Wh1cl1:-

igure 1 is a bottom plan View illustrating a bumper applied to a mine car and constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is an end elevation, illustrating ghe coupler and the actuating means there- Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the manner of mounting the bumper on the car,- v

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional vview illustrating the locking pin for the coupler,-

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view drawn on an enlarged scale illustrating the manner ofmounting the bumper on the car,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view illustrating the bumper and the coupler thereon.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 1. indicates the body of a car having secured to its bottom relatively spaced longitudinally extending attaching members 2 that are offset as illustrated at 3 for the purpose of receiving the axles 4 on which the Wheels 5 are mounted. The supporting members 3 are provided with longitudinally extending grooves 6 in their straight portions which receive tongues 7 formed uponv frames 8. The frames 8 consist of longitudinal members 9 connected at their innerV ends by transversel members 10 and con? nected at their outer ends by transverse lates 11 having curved outer edges 12. locks 13 are rigidly secured to the bottom Wall of the body of the car by fasteners 14 and are arranged Within the frames 8 and provided with pairs of lugs 15 alining with lugs 16 carried by the connecting` bars 10 and the plates 11. Coil springs 17 are mounted on the lugs l5 and 16 for yieldably connecting the frames 8 to the blocks 13 to cushion movement ofsaid frames 8.

Thus it will be seen that' a sudden pull or I jerk upon the frames 8 will be absorbed by the springs 17.

The connecting plate 11 at one end'of the car has secured thereto by means of a pivoty pin 18 a coupling link 19 while the other plate 11 at the other end of the car has formed integrally therewith a coupling block or member 2O which is provided with a longitudinally extending opening 21 adapted to receive the coupling link 19 of theadjacentcar.` The opening 21 is provided with a fiared mouth so that the coupling link 19 may readily enter the same. The member 20 isprovided at its rear edge with spaced ears 22 to which is pivoted a locking pin 23. The pin 23 depends normally across the opening 21 and has formed upon its lower end an extension 24 adapted to engage the inner edge of the respective plate 11 to limit the movement of said pin in one direction. A right angled ear is formed on the pivoted` end i of the pin and is adapted to enga e the top wall of the block or member 2O for aiding the extension 24 in limiting the movement of the pin in the last named direction. The pin is connected to a chain or flexible element 26 which is in turn connected to a crank 27 of an operating rod 28 journaled to the end of the car as illustrated at 29 and provided with operating handles 30. The raising of the handlesBO. will impart a raising movement to the pin on its pivot and in the direction of the end of the car which is provided with an opening 31 to permit free movement of said pin;

In operation, the coupling link 19 enters the opening 21, striking-the pin and swing- A ing the same upwardly on its pivot and after the end of the link 19 passes the pin, the latter gravitates into a position so that the free end of the pin extends through the link with thefextension -24 in engagement with the respective plate 11 thus locking the link- 19 against withdrawal. To 'uncouple the cars it is only necessary to raise the handles upwardly which elevates the pin on its pivot permitting the link 19 to drawoutwardly of the opening 28 upon the `movement` of the cars in respect to each other; The elevation of the levers or handles 30 may lie/accomplished from a-point at one sideofthe cars thereby obviating' the danger of injuringthe operator when the two cars come together for coupling.

While I have shown and described the pre,- frred embodiment of my invention, it will .be understood thatminor changes inconlstruction, combination, and arrangement of parts may be made without departingl from the spirit and scope 'of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention what l claim 1s 1. YA bumper construction for cars consisting of securing and supporting members disposed longitudinally of a car, a frame slidable between said members and provided with longitudinal members and transverse members, one. of said transverse membersA serving as a bumper, interengaging 'means between said securing and supporting members and frame whereby said frame is supported from said securing andsupporting members, a block for fixed attachment tothe car located between said longitudinal members and transverse members, and cushioning springs between said block and trans. 4

verse members.

2. A bumper construction for cars con` sisting of axle securing and supporting mem-l bers disposed longitudinally of a car, a frame slidable betweenv said members and provided with longitudinalv members and transverse members, one of said transverse members serving as a bumper, interengaging means between said securing and 'supportlng members and Jframe whereby said frame is.

supported from saidl securingv and supporting members, a block for ixedattachment to the car located between said longitudinal members and transverse members, cushion- '1ng'spr1ngs verse members, pins extending rrom said block and transverse members to mount said springs, 'and coupling means on the bumper.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: 4 ALBERT GLIEz,`

' AJAS. E. Gn'nrvmz,

between said block and trans'- MARTI'N T. irrrmreisi.,l 

